Font Size
Ecclesiastes 12
New Catholic Bible
Ecclesiastes 12
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 12
Remember Your Creator . . .
1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth
before the bad times come
and the years draw near when you will say,
“I take no pleasure in them”;
2 before the sun and the light of day
give way to darkness,
before the moon and the stars grow dim
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 [a]when the guardians of the house tremble
and the strong men are bent over,
and the women who grind the meal
cease working because they are few in number,
and those who look through the windows
realize that their eyesight is failing;
4 when the doors to the street are shut
and the sound of grinding begins to fade,
when one waits to hear the chirping of a bird,
but all the songbirds are silent;
5 when one is afraid of heights
and is concerned about dangers on the streets.
And You Return to Your Eternal Home
Remember him—when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper is sluggish
and desire is no longer stirred,
and you return to your eternal home
while the mourners assemble in the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is snapped
or the golden bowl is broken
or the pitcher is shattered at the spring
or the wheel is broken at the well
7 and the dust returns to the earth from which it came
and the spirit returns to God[b] who gave it.
Final Editor’s Note
8 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth;
all things are vanity.
9 In addition to his wisdom, Qoheleth taught the people knowledge, having weighed, studied, and arranged many proverbs. 10 Qoheleth sought to express his thoughts in a pleasing way and to convey truths with precision.
11 The sayings of the wise are as sharp as goads; like spikes firmly positioned are the lessons offered by a single shepherd. 12 In regard to anything beyond these, my child, beware. There is no end to the writing of many books, and extensive study results in a weariness of the flesh.
13 This is the end of my teaching.
All has been heard.
Fear God[c] and keep his commandments,
for that is the responsibility of everyone.
14 For God will bring to judgment all of our deeds[d]
and reveal all of our secrets,
whether good or bad.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:3 The usual interpretation is this: the guardians: the hands; the strong men: the legs; the grind[ers] . . . and those who look through the windows: the teeth and eyes; the doors: the lips; grinding: the mouth. Next there is reference to the failure of hearing; the blossoming of the almond tree: white hair; the grasshopper: sexual vigor.
- Ecclesiastes 12:7 The dust returns to the earth . . . and the spirit returns to God: the part of human beings that is earthly (dust) returns to earth, but the part that comes from God (spirit) returns to God who gave it—which foreshadows the continuation of life with God.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13 Fear God: reverence for God is the basis of wisdom (see Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7; 9:10) as well as its content (see Job 28:28) and the responsibility of everyone.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14 God will bring to judgment all of our deeds: see Eccl 3:17; 8:12-13; 11:9 and note; Mt 12:36; 1 Cor 3:12-15; 2 Cor 5:9-10; Heb 4:12-13.
Thus, at the end of this search, human beings are, as it were, liberated from false religious efforts as well as all pessimism. They discover that they are worth more than what they can possess and more than the situations that they wish to dominate. In the end, conscious of their limits, they do not rebel but learn to accept a true joy without any illusions. Abandoning all thoughts of vindication or fear, they adore the mystery of God with human freedom. The path to hope becomes possible.
Ecclesiastes 12
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 12
New International Version
12 Remember(A) your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble(B) come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;(C)
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home(D)
and mourners(E) go about the streets.
6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns(F) to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God(G) who gave it.(H)
The Conclusion of the Matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.(K) 10 The Teacher(L) searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.(M)
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(N)—given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.(O)
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.